Dreaming
by draurora17
Summary: VERY soppy slash fic... William/Ronald after a day's work. Slightly OOC as well as OTT! Rated T for themes, but not explicit.


**I'm sorry – this fic is entirely too soppy and OOC. I put it up because it might please someone, but I'm still not sure. I wrote it in a moment of extreme weakness, and thought it would be a good idea to write a romantic fic for these two. I was wrong, nevertheless... I hope a few of you like it at least *hopeful smile* Dray xx**

Again, the paperwork on his desk was a mess. At least Knox, miraculously, had completed his this time. Grell's scruffy sheets were covered in bright pink pen. William T. Spears sighed. His life would never be straightforward, and he could swear that Grell did it deliberately to punish the strict shinigami for ignoring him. It was gone half past six already, and all of the other reapers had gone - most likely to various parties and those ridiculous group dates. Separating the completed reports and evaluations from the incomplete ones, William settled down to work.

After about ten minutes, he heard a tentative knock on his office door. He glanced at the clock and frowned. 6:45pm.

"Enter."

The door opened and to William's surprise, a mess of blond and black hair appeared around the doorway and bright, nervous green eyes peered at him from behind thick black rims.

"Good evening Knox, can I help you?"

"Hey, sir. I... I was wondering if you maybe wanted some help with the paperwork?" he stepped into the room, his tie hanging loosely around his shoulders, and his shirt unbuttoned down to the top of his waistcoat.

William was so shocked by the boy's offer of help that he couldn't think of anything to say. His scrutinising green eyes widened.

"I know that you probably don't want me disturbing you, but I thought if I offered you might get it all done quicker."

William pulled himself together. "That's... Unusually astute of you, Knox." He looked at the pile of papers on his desk. "You could sort these into reports and evaluations, completed ones on this pile, all others on this pile. Can you do that?"

"Sure." Knox smiled, happy at being given something useful to do by his usually grumpy superior.

William pulled a chair over and pushed his own, more comfortable chair over towards Knox. "Here."

"But sir..." William raised an eyebrow at him, "Thank you." Knox accepted the chair with a grateful bow and sat in it, getting started on the papers.

They sat in silence, the only sound being the rustling of paper as it was sorted. Occasionally, Knox would steal a glance at his boss, who was diligently checking the reports and signing them off. Sometimes, Ronald noticed, his brow would twitch in annoyance when a report wasn't written correctly. On the rare occasion that the report was perfect, the corner of his lips would curl ever so slightly, making his entire expression softer.

When Knox was absorbed in his sorting, William watched him secretly. He watched the younger reaper's slender hands sorting through the sheets of paper and stacking them neatly together. He watched as the tip of the boy's tongue pushed out from between his full lips in concentration. He knew that as the manager of his department, he shouldn't even be thinking about his subordinates like this, but the fact remained that William found Knox inexplicably attractive.

"Finished!" Knox exclaimed happily, signing the last paper and placing it tidily on the correct pile.

William looked up from his writing and was instantly caught by the wide grin and the sparkling green eyes that shone at him from just across the desk.

William cleared his throat. "Well done. Thank you, Knox, you have been most helpful."

"I would do what I can to help you, sir, you should remember that."

"Why?" William said before he could stop himself.

The pale eyebrows knotted together in a frown of confusion, and the younger shinigami cocked his head to the side. "Because you deserve it for putting up with us. Because it's not fair that we go out to parties and leave you with all the work."

"Why would it matter to you that I..." but William didn't get to finish his sentence as Ronald interrupted.

"Because I care, sir. I hate the thought of you sitting here alone working. It's not right." he said defiantly, standing up and curling his hands into fists.

William got up and walked around the desk. For the first time in many years, he acted without thinking. He reached for one of the boy's coiled fists and raised it up to his face with gentle fingers.

"Take care not to let your emotions control you, Knox." William leaned in and pressed their lips together firmly, before pulling away again and letting the fist fall from his hand.

"If that was the result of you letting your own emotions control you, I would tell you never to deny them again." Knox breathed in surprise. He moved into William's arms and kissed him again, threading his fingers through the ebony hair. He felt William wrap his arms around his back and pull him close.

"It is only right that I reward my subordinates for helping me." William said, pulling back a little to look into the blond's eyes.

"This is the first time I have heard of such a reward."

William's expression was unreadable as he replied, "This is the first time I have had help."

Knox's features softened into a sorrowful look that William could hardly bear to see on the usually cheerful face. He leaned in and kissed one of the boy's furrowed eyebrows.

"What is it?" William asked.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"You. We all abandoned you..."

"I do not need pity, I am not a child..." William let go of Knox and started to turn away.

"It's not pity. You have hidden your feelings so well that we all assumed that you didn't have any. We were wrong."

"I have no need of emotions that do nothing but impede my work."

"But you can have emotions and still be brilliant at what you do."

"How would you know that?"

Ronald's bright green eyes lowered sullenly, and William instantly felt a pang of guilt at lashing out so thoughtlessly.

"I apologise, that was out of line."

"But true."

"I was wrong to say it."

"I... I just wish you would show me what you're feeling sometimes. I know I have no right to ask, but I just want to... I want... To get closer to you. I want you to let me in."

William watched the boy for a second, considering his words. He made a decision and dropped the mask, letting his features soften. He reached out and caressed the boy's face gently, his lips curling into a small smile. Ronald's eyes widened.

"Look at me, is this what you wanted to see? Your strict superior has a heart after all."

Knox reached up and traced William's features with his fingertips.

"Would you give it to me?" the blond whispered.

"What?"

"Your heart. Would you let me have it? I would keep it safe, locked up inside me so it would never have to be alone."

"You... You don't know what you're saying." William retracted his hand, but Knox caught it.

"Yes I do. You can have mine in return, I give it to you freely to do what you want with." Ronald leaned in and kissed William deeply, threading his fingers through the black hair.

"Knox..." William pushed him away, "You... You're young... Beautiful..."

The blond's breath hitched.

"You could have anyone you wanted."

"But..." the boy's brow furrowed, "I want you."

William looked into the sincere green eyes, and the love he saw there brought him to his knees in front of the young reaper, who instantly fell to one knee and put a hand concernedly on his boss' cheek.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm... I'm yours." the professional reaper whispered.

"What?"

"Yours, Knox, body and soul."

"But..."

"I have nothing else to give you. All I can offer is what you see before you."

"And why would you think that that wasn't enough?"

"Because you... You deserve beauty and happiness."

"If that is true then I have everything I need right here. You are beautiful, William, and you make me happy by just being in the world. I don't need anything else."

William looked into the green eyes so close to his own and a tear escaped, rolling down the thin cheek. Ronald leaned forwards and kissed it away.

"I love you."

William's eyes widened. "What did you say?"

"I love you, William." Knox was smiling widely at his superior. "I love you."

The stern shinigami closed his eyes. "I must be dreaming. Tell me I'm dreaming."

He felt a warm breath tickle his skin as Ronald whispered into his ear. "You're not dreaming." and then pressed his lips firmly to William's.


End file.
